Income Security

Advertisers have begun receiving claim notice emails related to a $22.5 million settlement in a class action suit against Google.

The case, Google AdWords Litigation, Case No. 5:08-cv-03369-EJD, in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, stems from a 2008 claim that Google did not disclose that it placed ads on parked domains and error pages in violation of California’s unfair competition and false advertising laws.

The advertisers sought restitution for the difference between what they paid per click versus what they would have paid had they known their ads were appearing on low-quality pages that typically sent low-quality traffic. Google has consistently denied the allegations that it didn’t provide proper disclosure of where ads might show and maintains advertisers should have been aware.

This week, many advertisers — the class comprises about 2.3 million members, according to the settlement — received the email below, with instructions on how to file a claim. US-based advertisers that were charged for AdWords clicks on parked domains or error pages between July 11, 2004, and March 31, 2008, may qualify for a portion of the settlement. Potential payouts will depend on how much an advertiser spent and how many claims are filed.

In the fall of 2007, Google began testing a way for advertisers to opt out of having ads showing on parked domains and error pages. That option eventually rolled out globally in March 2008 and remains active today.

A Final Fairness Hearing is scheduled for July 27, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. PT in the Northern California District Court in San Jose.